What New Conspiracy Theories Does Tskhinvali KGB Spread about Lugar Lab?

The security service (KGB) of occupied Tskhinvali region frequently releases statements about the Tbilisi-based Lugar Lab. On June 9, Sputnik-Ossetia spread one of its latest statements, according to which Tskhinvali KGB disclosed information about the activities of Lugar Lab. The statement involves seven new conspiratorial messages. Tskhinvali KGB notes that the data were collected based on the information received from patriotically disposed Georgian citizens as well as Georgian organizations and movements.

Tskhinvali KGB claims that the Lugar Lab fulfills directives from the U.S. Army medical research units and has to implement the following tasks:

1. Upon instructions of the U.S. Army medical research units, the Lugar Lab is working on the development of biological weapon aimed to precisely hit the South Ossetian population.
2. The purpose of the Lugar Lab is to control the sanitary-epidemiological situation in South Ossetia and collect information about specific viruses and bacteria.
3. The Lugar Lab has been instructed to carry out subversive activities aimed at destruction of small and large livestock.
4. The Lugar Lab artificially creates the cases of epizootic diseases (epidemic in animals).
5. Vaccines created at the Lugar Lab are used to control the development of agricultural sphere and ensure its dependence on the Lugar Lab.
6. The Lugar Lab works to ensure South Ossetian population’s dependence on Georgian and western medicines.
7. The Lugar Lab is discrediting the South Ossetian government’s efforts to ensure medical and sanitary-epidemiological safety in Tskhinvali.

Tskhinvali KGB allegations against the Lugar Lab have no factual basis. In response to earlier accusations regarding marmorated stink bug, Maia Alkhazishvili, manager of Richard Lugar Public Health Research Center, and Mari Murtskhvaladze, scientist at Lugar Center’s genome lab, told Myth Detector that fighting crop diseases and pests does not fall within the competence of the Lugar Lab and that it is oriented to public health issues only.  Furthermore, the lab is involved in the process of diagnosis and research, while dissemination of medicines on the territory of Georgia, including its occupied regions, is not part of its activities.

Russia-backed authorities in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region have frequently linked the spread of various diseases on their respective territories to the Lugar Lab. It has prompted the Kremlin to make statements about biological threats, noting that Russia will not allow testing of biological weapons near its borders. (bmisurplus.com)